Layered radiation-sensitive materials with varying sensitivity

Abstract

A method for fabricating a radiation-cured structure is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a first radiation-sensitive material and applying a second radiation-sensitive material to the first radiation-sensitive material. The first radiation-sensitive material has a first sensitivity. The second radiation-sensitive material has a second sensitivity different from the first sensitivity. At least one mask is placed between at least one radiation source and the first and second radiation-sensitive materials. The mask has a plurality of substantially radiation-transparent apertures. The first and second radiation-sensitive materials are then exposed to a plurality of radiation beams through the radiation-transparent apertures in the mask to form a first construct in the first radiation-sensitive material and a second construct in the second radiation-sensitive material. The first construct and the second construct cooperate to form the radiation-cured structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for fabricating a structure, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a first radiation-dissociable material, the first radiation-dissociable material having a first sensitivity to a first radiation source; 
 applying a second radiation-dissociable material to the first radiation-dissociable material, the second radiation-dissociable material having a second sensitivity to a second radiation source, the second sensitivity to the second radiation-dissociable material different from the first sensitivity to the first radiation-dissociable material; 
 exposing the first radiation-dissociable material and the second radiation-dissociable material to a plurality of radiation beams through a plurality of radiation-transparent apertures in at least one mask, the plurality of radiation beams including a plurality of first radiation beams projected from the first radiation source and a plurality of second radiation beams projected from the second radiation source, wherein the first radiation source is different from the second radiation source; and 
 removing a dissociated portion of the first radiation-dissociable material and a dissociated portion of the second radiation-dissociable material thereby forming a first construct from the first radiation-dissociable material and a second construct from the second radiation-dissociable material, wherein the difference between the first sensitivity to the first radiation-dissociable material and the second sensitivity to the second radiation-dissociable material results in the first construct being different from the second construct, the first construct and the second construct cooperating to form the structure. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second radiation-dissociable material is different from the first radiation-dissociable material. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of applying a third radiation-dissociable material to the second radiation-dissociable material. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the third radiation-dissociable material has a third sensitivity to a third radiation source. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the third sensitivity is substantially the same as the first sensitivity. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the third sensitivity is different from the first sensitivity and the second sensitivity. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 3 , wherein the exposing step includes exposing the third radiation-dissociable material to the plurality of radiation beams and the removing step includes removing a dissociated portion of the third radiation-dissociable material to form a third construct in the third radiation-dissociable material. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying the first radiation-dissociable material to a substrate. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of at least one of metalizing, carbonizing, and ceramicizing the structure. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first radiation beams is different from the plurality of second radiation beams in at least one of cross-sectional shape and angle of incidence relative to a surface of one of the first radiation-dissociable material and the second radiation-dissociable material. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of exposing the first radiation-dissociable material and the second radiation-dissociable material to a plurality of radiation beams through a plurality of radiation-transparent apertures uses a plurality of masks. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first radiation-dissociable material and the second radiation-dissociable material comprises a positive resist. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of removing a dissociated portion of the first radiation-dissociable material and a dissociated portion of the second radiation-dissociable material includes heating the first radiation-dissociable material and the second radiation-dissociable material, the heating facilitating a dissociation of at least one of the first radiation-dissociable material and the second radiation-dissociable material. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising applying a filter layer between the first radiation-dissociable material and the second radiation-dissociable material, the filter layer militating against an exposure of one of the first radiation-dissociable material and the second radiation-dissociable material to at least a portion of the plurality of radiation beams. 
     
     
       15. A method for fabricating a structure, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a first radiation-dissociable material, the first radiation-dissociable material having a first sensitivity including at least one of a first dissociation rate, a sensitivity to a first radiation frequency, a sensitivity to a first radiation amplitude, and a sensitivity to a first radiation type; 
 applying a second radiation-dissociable material to the first radiation-dissociable material, the second radiation-dissociable material having a second sensitivity including at least one of a second dissociation rate, a sensitivity to a second radiation frequency, a sensitivity to a second radiation amplitude, and a sensitivity to a second radiation type, the second sensitivity different from the first sensitivity; 
 placing a mask between a radiation source and the first radiation-dissociable material and the second radiation-dissociable material, the mask having a plurality of substantially radiation-transparent apertures; 
 exposing the first radiation-dissociable material and the second radiation-dissociable material to a plurality of radiation beams through the radiation-transparent apertures in the mask; and 
 forming at least a first construct in the first radiation-dissociable material and a second construct in the second radiation-dissociable material, the first construct different from the second construct, the first construct and the second construct cooperating to form the structure. 
 
     
     
       16. A method for fabricating a structure, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a substrate and a radiation source; 
 applying a first radiation-dissociable material; 
 applying a second radiation-dissociable material; 
 placing at least one mask between the radiation source and the first radiation-dissociable material and the second radiation-dissociable material; 
 exposing the first radiation-dissociable material and the second radiation-dissociable material to radiation from the radiation source, the radiation source providing a first radiation to which the first radiation-dissociable material dissociates and a second radiation to which the second radiation-dissociable material dissociates; and 
 dissociating a portion of the first radiation-dissociable material and a portion of the second radiation-dissociable material to form the structure. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first radiation-dissociable material has a first sensitivity to the first radiation, the second radiation-dissociable material has a second sensitivity to the second radiation, the first sensitivity being different than the second sensitivity. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of metalizing the structure. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of carbonizing the structure. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of ceramicizing the structure.